From a tacit to reflective learner
In this article we introduce the concept of a learner who evolves from a tacit/unconscious one to a highly organized—reflective learner. You may assess yourself: which learner are you, and how do you want to develop?
Why did I choose this tool?
Moving from being a tacit to being a reflective learner involves ‘learning how to learn’ competence.
How does this apply to being a trainer?
Learning needs to be made an object of attention, reflection, conversation and evaluation in every field of education, and predominantly in non-formal education. It is crucial for a trainer to be aware of his own proficiency as a learner to navigate learning process in a reflective way.
Content:
Being a learner you still have a choice: you may remain a tacit learner, you may decide to develop yourself and become an aware learner, then strategic learner and finally you may reach a final level of the reflective learner.
Look at the descriptions of each phase in the following graph.
| Reflective learner:
• is not only strategic in thinking but is also able to reflect upon their own thinking-in-progress, pondering strategies and revising themes appropriately • thrives in the unfamiliar or unknown • actively learns from failure or setbacks • has developed a considerable degree of resilience and determination |
|||
|
Strategic learner: • can organise his/her own thinking by using problem-solving, decision-making, evidence-seeking and other kinds of cognitive strategies • is successful when the task or activity is known to them and is able to select an appropriate approach based on prior understanding and knowledge. • in a new situation or context, she/he can be lost |
|||
| Aware learner:
• knows about some of the kinds of thinking he/she does • he/she can compare and apply outcomes but is not strategic in his/hers own thinking • barriers to learning in the form of misconceptions are prevalent and these learners do not work hard to overcome them |
|||
| Tacit learner:
• is unaware of how he/she thinks and learns • simply accepts whether he/she knows something or not • will very likely have barriers in the way of their own progress and development |
|||
| From a tacit to reflective learner – evolution | |||
To move from stage of a tacit learner to the stage of aware learner, the learning to learn competence has to become an object of one’s learning (according to Watkins 2010).
You need to be:
- self-aware of how you are learning and how effective your learning is
You should be able to:
- identify and overcome barriers to learning
- use questioning assumptions
- delay gratification
- stick to a task
- enjoy challenges and difficulties
- organize learning effectively (develop concepts of standards and measure their current performance against these)
- be willing and able to ask for help
- understand when your own resources are limited
- learn from mistakes and setbacks
- try new strategies
Your attitude to learning:
- you should be self-regulated (managing your learning energy and focus)
- intrinsically motivated
Excercise:
Which type of learner are you predominantly? Mark statements from the following categories which refer to you. Decide what type of learner you are right now.
|
|
 I am able to reflect upon my own thinking-in-progress, pondering strategies and revising themes appropriately.
|
||
| I can stimulate the way I am thinking by adjusting different strategies adequate to a situation.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
| Tacit learner | Aware learner | Strategic learner: | Reflective learner: |
| From a tacit learner to reflective learner – evolution | |||
What can you do to develop further as a learner? Take 5 resolutions which could help you in development as the learner.
The list of five resolutions for a learner:
- ____________________________
- ____________________________
- ____________________________
- ____________________________
- ____________________________
Reflection questions
- What do you think about the competence ‘’learning to learn’’?
- Which content in the article do you agree with, and which content would you like to discuss?
- What other reflection tools you would like to develop to reflect on learning to learn competence?
